With the amount of people working from home, home espresso makers have become increasingly in-demand. For some of us, we’re missing that high quality espresso maker from the office, whereas for others, we simply want access to high quality coffee without leaving the house.
A quick search on Google or Amazon shows that there are tons of espresso makers to choose from. Some are steam-driven while others are lever-driven. What does that even mean? Espresso machines also vary widely in price. What is the real difference between a $1000 espresso machine and a $150 machine? Keep reading to find out!
In this article, we will compare the best automatic and semi-automatic espresso machines costing under $1000.
What are The Different Types of Espresso Machines?
There are many different types of espresso machines available on the consumer market. The most common types of espresso makers include:
- Manual espresso machines
- Semi-automatic espresso machines
- Automatic espresso machines
- Super automatic espresso machines
- Commercial espresso machines
The 8 Best Espresso Machines in Canada Under $1000
Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine
The Breville BES870XL is probably the best semi-automatic espresso maker on the market. If you’re familiar with Breville’s BES860XL model, the Express model is basically an improved version. It comes equipped with several new features, including a convenient hot water dispenser. The BES870XL also has an Auto Sleep and Automatic Shut-off feature to prevent the machine from being left on.
With a 15 bar Italian pump and a 1600w Thermo coil heating system, it’s one of few espresso machine that are pefect for beginners and experts alike. The machine comes with 4 different filters, a pressurized and non-pressurized version of a single filter and a double filter.
Pressurized filters are great for beginners who are looking for an easy way to make an espresso quickly. Those seeking a higher quality espresso can use the non-pressurized filters. Non-pressurized filters have more of a learning curve but result in a higher quality espresso.
The BES870XL has a built-in coffee grinder so you won’t have to worry about buying one. As a semi-automatic espresso machine, the BES870XL comes with a 360 degree rotatable nozzle frothing your milk with steam. This means you can froth your milk from any angle.
Currently priced under $800, the Breville Barista Express Machine is a great value for your money. While there is a learning curve, it’s a great espresso machine for beginners and experienced espresso connoisseurs.
Breville Café Roma Manual Espresso Machine
The Breville BES870XL is probably the best semi-automatic espresso maker on the market. If you’re familiar with Breville’s BES860XL model, the Express model is basically an improved version. It comes equipped with several new features, including a convenient hot water dispenser. The BES870XL also has an Auto Sleep and Automatic Shut-off feature to prevent the machine from being left on.
Costing less than $200, the Breville Café Roma Espresso Machine is perfect if you’re on a budget. Despite its low price point, the machine still offers an impressive 15-bar pressure.
With only one button to work with, the Café Roma machine is extremely easy to use. Indicator lights will let you know when the machine is running or is warmed up and ready to use. In addition to the on/off button, a small dial lets you choose between breweing mode and steam mode for frothing milk.
Despite its simplicity, but Café Roma makes commercial-grade espresso without the complexity of pricier machines. The machine also comes with several accessories, including a stainless steel pitcher for frothing milk, a multi-functional spoon and an accessory to help clean your steam wand.
If you are looking for a simple, efficient and affordable espresso maker, the Breville Café Roma Espresso Machine is a powerful machine with an excellent price-quality ratio.
De’Longhi Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine
The De’Longhi Magnifica ESAM3300 is undoubtedly the best super-automatic espresso machine available on the market in Canada. It’s a feature-rich espresso maker that excels on multiple levels. Some of its features include a cup warmer, an automatic timed shut-off feature, and a built-in grinder with 13 adjustable settings.
Costing you less than $900, the ESAM3300 is actually affordable compared to other fully automatic espresso makers. But at that price, there are a few things to consider. The machine offers a lot of flexibility, but it can make it a bit more difficult to use than other machines. The machine also has a plastic exterior, compared to more pricier machines that are stainless steel. For some people this can be a downside.
That said, De’Longhi’s ESAM3300 Magnifica is an affordable option if you’re looking for a fully automatic espresso machine under $1000.
Mr. Coffee One-Touch Espresso Maker
The Mr. Coffee One-Touch espresso machine is another budget-friendly automatic espresso machine. Despite its low price, this machine still manages to produce excellent quality espresso, which many simlarly priced machines struggle to accomplish.
The machine has a 19-bar Italian pump, e which makes it possible to obtain extract robust flavors from your coffee beans. It also has two different filters which allow you to make a single or double espresso shot. These self-regulate when it comes to measuring the right amount of water. The machine also comes with an automatic milk frother so you can create perfect cappuccinos without extra accessories needed. The removable milk container is easy to fill and clean.
Since everything is operated with a single button, you technically don’t have to do anything. This makes it the perfect espresso machine for producing effortless high quality espresso.
While we cannot say it’s the best espresso machine on the market, it’s definitely a machine to consider in terms of its price. We’d mostly recommend this espresso maker if your budget is limited and you’re looking for a decent yet affordable introductory espresso machine.
De’Longhi Dedica DeLuxe Espresso Machine
The De’Longhi Dedica EC685M espresso maker is a compact espresso maker that’s perfect for small kitchens. Despite its small size, the EC685M has a reservoir large enough to make up to 20 espresso shots. With 15 bars of pressure, the machine is compact but still powerful.
You can easily choose between a single or double espresso shot. By removing the drip tray, a larger sized cup can also be used. For your milk frothing needs, the machine comes with an adjustable frothing nozzle. You can easily choose the ideal foam and vapor level for your drink.
If design is important to you, the stainless steel espresso machine is available in 4 different colors; black, red, silver and white.
The main downside with this machine is that you will probably need to purchase a few accessories, including a milk frothing cup and a coffee grinder. However, that’s quite common for compact espresso machines, especially at this affordable price point.
Nespresso Vertuo Coffee & Espresso Machine by De’Longhi
The Nespresso Vertuo is the most unique espresso machine on this list. Instead of coffee grains, the Vertuo uses Nespresso pods. While they may be more expensive, coffee pods offer advantages such as quality, freshness, and that they’re less messy to use. If you prefer the conveneince of coffee pods, this machine is a one-of-a-kind espresso maker worth considering.
The Vertuo machine allows you to choose between 5 different coffee sizes, including Alto, Mug, Gran Lungo, Double Espresso, and Single Espresso. The machine only takes 20 seconds to heat up, which is great if you’re in a rush in the morning. Simply select your coffee size, press one button and you will have the perfect cup of barista style coffee or espresso every time.
Nespresso also offers a huge variety of coffee pods, so you certainly won’t get bored. Their pods are also 100% recyclable.
Finally, the Vertuo machine comes with the official Nespresso milk frother. This will help you prepare barista-quality drinks with perfectly frothed milk.
If you are looking for a machine that is powerful, highly efficient and allows for greater versatility in terms of coffee and espresso, you will not be disappointed with the Nespresso Espresso Machine by De’Longhi.
Oster Prima Latte Espresso Machine
The Oster BVSTEM6601S-033 Prima Latte machine is the most affordable espresso machine on this list. If you’re on a tight budget, but still want to get an espresso machine, the Prima Latte is a great option. With its 15-bar pump, the Oster makes delicious, high quality espresso. It’s semi-automatic and allows you to make excellent espresso, cappuccino, and lattes. It also has a built-in automatic milk frother so you won’t need to purchase one seperately.
The Oster Prima Latte is a simple, inexpensive little espresso machine that lets you make quality barista-style coffee without breaking the bank. The main downaide with this machine is that it’s loud when operating and the machine itself is not the highest quality. While it’s not the kind of machine that will last you a decade, it’s a fairly decent machine considering the very low price.
Philips 2200 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
The Philips 2200 Espresso Machine is incredible. As a fully automatic machine, it’s also the most expensive espresso machine on this list. That said, it’s well worth the price. With its intuitive touchscreen panel, you can easily choose between espresso, cappuccino, coffee, latte, americano or hot water for some tea or hot chocolate. You can adjust the strength of your espresso as well as the amount of coffee you use.
The Philips 2200 also comes with LatteGo technology which allows you to froth your milk to perfection. So you can automatically concoct the perfect latte or cappuccino.
The machine’s components are easy to clean and the frother items are dishwasher-safe. Even better, Phillips’ claims you’ll be able to make 5,000 cups before you need to descale the machine.
What to Consider When Buying an Espresso Machine
Temperature & Pressure
When using a semi-automatic espresso machine, the water pressure and the temperature should always be the same. This temperature should never be too high. Usually, it takes around 10 bars of pressure and a temperature of about 90 degrees Celsius to make the perfect espresso.
Generally, the more expensive the machine, the more efficient the machine will be at regulating these two elements. Very high-quality machines come with a regulator. The latter makes it possible to maintain a constant temperature of the water in an excessively precise way, to the nearest degree.
Less expensive machines found in stores rarely have this regulator. Without this element, the water temperature may change and therefore results may differ from coffee to coffee.
In fact, you will often see that less expensive machines will sometimes highlight that they offer 15 or even 20 bars of pressure. What you need to know is that more pressure is not always a good thing. This can potentially make your espresso more bitter. What is actually important is to find a machine that has good temperature and pressure control.
Ease of Setup
An espresso maker can seem like a complex machine to operate, and that’s to be expected. That being said, some machines are easier to use than others. We always prefer machines that don’t require you to read a manual. And no one wants to watch 3 YouTube videos to understand how to turn on the machine.
It’s normal that you will need to learn how to use your machine properly to make the perfect espresso. But, it’s even better if the espresso machine has been designed to save you additional learning steps.
Quality of Steam Nozzle or Milk Frother
The espresso makers in our article only use a steam nozzle. Therefore, these machines have only one system that heats the machine and the steam nozzle. What this means is that you will probably have to wait a little bit before you can use the steam nozzle to heat your milk after making your espresso. The part of the machine that steams must reach a much higher temperature than the part that makes the espresso.
You can always have a separate machine to heat your milk like this milk frother. This implies that you will have to spend even more on your new purchase. But to be fair, the wait time isn’t really a problem and we assume that like us, it won’t really bother you.
In short, the important point here is to understand that it is the nozzle that allows air and steam to create the perfect texture for frothing your milk. If the steam nozzle isn’t great, you will sometimes see large air bubbles. These do not allow the milk to froth properly. The goal is therefore to opt for a machine whose air and steam allow you to perfectly froth your milk.
The End Result & Taste
We mentioned earlier that there are a lot of factors that will impact the quality and taste of your espresso. Having said that, assuming everything is done right, what’s the end result? Is the taste perfectly balanced? Is the bitterness too strong? Is your espresso smooth? The espresso makers on our list all give you a great end result.
Machine Quality & Design
You will see that most of the machines are made of stainless steel, but they can also be made of copper. The latter is particularly resistant to corrosion. And since there is usually a lot of movement in a kitchen, having machines that resist heat damage is always a big advantage. Copper is a material that will give you years of durability.
Stainless steel is also a very strong material. It is probably the most common material in classic kitchen tools. It’s also an ideal material against bacteria. It keeps moisture out, which is another big plus.
Finally, you also have machines made of plastic. These are usually cheaper models, or at least a way for the company to cut costs.
Ease of Cleaning
Cleaning an espresso machine is not always easy. Sometimes you will need to remove items to be able to clean the machine more easily. Some machines are designed to make your job easier.
It’s always best to opt for an espresso machine that will let you know when it’s time to clean it. Others will simply stop working well or give you poorer espresso. That is supposed to be your sign to clean it.
What Accessories do You Need For an Espresso Maker?
Depending on the espresso machine you buy, you may need to purchase some additional accessories get the best coffee experience possible. Here are some accessories you may need:
A Coffee Grinder
When it comes to making quality espresso at home, grounding your coffee beans yourself is a must. This will ensure utmost flavour and freshness. To grind your coffee, you’ll need high quality whole coffee beans and an automatic coffee grinder. Spice grinders can also be used, as long as the grinder produces very fine ground coffee that won’t clump together.
A Milk Frother & Milk Frothing Pitcher
If you enjoy lattes, cappuccinos, or macciatos, you’ll need a milk frother. Most super-automatic or automatic espresso makers will come with a built-in milk frother. Otherwise, there will probably be at least an integrated steam nozzle. However, if you opt for a slightly less expensive machine or manual espresso machine, you may need to purchase a separate milk frother.
You don’t technically have to get a frothing pitcher to froth your milk as you can always use a normal cup. However, frothing cups are designed to contain any splashes when frothing your milk. They also allow you to better calculate the quantities of milk needed for your drinks. Frothing cups are super easy to clean and are a must-have accessory for latte lovers.
Tips for Making The Perfect Espesso Every Time
Once you have decided which espresso maker you want to get for yourself, there are a few tips to help you use your new appliance. Stick to these and you’ll have an even better chance of making a perfect espresso every time.
Use Filtered Water
Espressos are made primarily of water. If you want to make the perfect espresso, make sure that the water you use tastes pure. Since it’s free from chemicals and minerals, filtered water will give you much better results when making espresso.
If you don’t opt for filtered water, you also risk damaging your machine due to tap water’s mineral content. Overtime, you’ll likely end up with mineral deposits on the machine that can impact its functionality.
See our list of the 5 Best Water Filtration Systems in Canada.
Always Preheat Your Machine
Never skip this step. Depending on the machine, the time may vary, but this step will make a big difference in the quality of your espresso. If you do not take the time to properly preheat your espresso maker, the machine will not be able to operate at its full capacity. The taste of your espresso will not be perfect. In short, always take the time to preheat your machine.
Evenly Distribute Your Espresso Grounds
Evenly distributing your espresso grounds is important if you want to make a perfectly consistent espresso. After distributing your grounds, make sure to tamp the grounds evenly as well. This will remove any unwanted air pockets.
